Any Pierce College student who is interested in movies, whether it be watching or making films, is invited to join the campus’ first-ever Cinema Club during its first meeting at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 15 in the Great Hall.

The Cinema Club will watch films, attend movies in original Hollywood movie palaces, network with the established Hollywood entertainment industry, attend and participate in festivals, have guest speakers to discuss careers in the entertainment industry and produce films.

“A main goal of the club will be to explore, enjoy and create videos that inspire a sense of empowerment among students and the community,” said Cinema Club Faculty Adviser Jennifer Penton, an assistant professor of cinema and multimedia at Pierce College.

This is the first time the club will be offered at Pierce College. Penton said there has been a lot of interest and excitement from students ever since the idea for the club was formulated.

One of those students is Kris Caballero, who has been helping lead recruitment efforts. Caballero, 23, is a film/video production major who wants the Cinema Club to help increase his and other students’ knowledge of films, including shooting, editing, promoting and marketing. He’s also looking to create a cohort of like-minded people who love films just as much as he does. Networking will be a big plus, he said.

“With venturing out to festivals, I’m hoping to increase my networking and hoping to find and land any job-related opportunities,” Caballero said.

Any enrolled student at Pierce College who has paid the ASO fees can join the club, not just cinema majors. Future meeting dates are to be determined at the first meeting, but it will most likely meet every two weeks. Penton expects about 100 people to attend the first meeting, which will include free refreshments.

It was decided that for the first meeting at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 15, the 1942 film “Casablanca” would be shown. Each Cinema Club meeting will feature a film. Casablanca, starring Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman, won three Academy Awards, including best picture.

“It’s an amazing classic which everyone can appreciate,” said Penton.

For more information about the Cinema Club, contact Penton at: PentonJK@piercecollege.edu or (818) 710-2961.

Cinema Club Mission Statement:

To provide a forum for students interested in various facets of film, including but not limited to: viewing, discussing, critiquing, editing, and short film producing, focusing on narrative, documentary, and animated films. This club will also provide community outreach, celebrate cultural diversity, and sponsor film festivals on the Pierce College Campus and in collaboration with other campuses and organizations.